3.3.1 Introduction

Traditional device performance and qualification criteria are primarily drive current, leakage, and threshold control. However, these parameters are very indirectly linked to the actual system performance. Previous work on systems analysis was usually based on analytical IV and CV equations with parameters analytically derived from nominal process parameters [41,42]. However, such analytical models are ever less adequate to capture the non-ideal behavior of advanced deep-sub-micron devices. On the other hand, complete device characterization and circuit simulation to determine the system performance is often not affordable and, as in the case of deep-sub-micron devices, not a straight-forward task. Therefore, a new method was developed by carefully selecting the relevant parameters and device data sets that can be combined with a suitable system model.

Figure 3.4 shows the data flow in the performance metric implementation: technology parameters are used to generate a device structure (either by process simulation or with analytical dopant profiles), then a set of device simulations is carried out, and finally the system performance data are computed from the electrical device data and system parameters.

Figure 3.4: Performance metric implementation: data flow